Mr Speaker, Deputy President and hon members, last year in this House we asked the President about the political connections of companies called Clident 1 and Clident 445 (Pty) Ltd, which had an interest in the sale of Vodacom shares by Telkom. To date, he has not responded.
This year, we asked the President in this House about the massive financial benefit for the ANC from the Eskom-Hitachi deal, which will be partly funded with unpopular tariff hikes and a World Bank loan. Again he failed to respond. Now we are being rushed to agree to a huge World Bank loan for Eskom, just as was the case with the arms deal.
One begins to wonder whether the recent electricity crisis was purposefully staged to create a state of panic, to ensure the approval of this massive Eskom project for the benefit of the ruling party. Meanwhile, the majority of citizens of this country are in a state of hopelessness.
The UDM does not have confidence in the ANC and its leadership in government; it is no better than the Mbeki administration. This looting must come to an end. I'm reminded of the German expression that the troughs haven't changed, only the pigs feeding from them.
Nikezelani ngale mali niyibuyisele kwiSebe lezeMali kulungiselelwe abantu abahluphekayo. [Kwaqhwatywa.] [Give this money back to the Department of Finance to cater for poor people.][Applause.]]